Various electronic animal collar-type training aids are known for enabling an animal trainer to encourage or discourage certain behaviour in animals, such as dogs. The devices may be used to discourage barking or digging, or contain the animal within a defined area.
Generally, the trainer uses a transmitter capable of sending electronic signals, such as radio frequency (RF) signals, to a receiver unit contained within a boxlike enclosure strapped around the animal's neck (see FIG. 1—Prior Art). The transmitter unit may be a stationary boundary unit, a stationary centrally located unit, or a portable transmitter carried by the trainer as part of a remote control unit. Also contained within the boxlike enclosure strapped to the animal are a power supply and a signal generator for generating a stimulus (normally an electric stimulus) that is transmitted to the animal through one or more electrodes, which protrude from the inside surface of the boxlike enclosure and press into the neck of the animal. In response to signals received by the receiver from the transmitter, a voltage is applied to the one or more electrodes to provide an electric stimulation to the animal when it exhibits undesirable behaviour. A device of this type is shown in FIG. 1 of the present application and is also shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,999, issued to Duane A. Gerig on Dec. 11, 2002.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, currently available animal collars 1 generally comprise a boxlike collar housing 2 attachable to the animal's neck using strap 3. One or more electrodes 4 typically protrude from an inside surface 5 of boxlike collar housing 2 between ⅜ inch (0.95 cm) and ¾ inch (1.9 cm). Electrodes 4 generally have contact points approximately ⅛ inch (0.32 cm) in diameter. One problem with such collars, is that their effectiveness is limited by the amount of contact that can be obtained between electrodes 4 and the animal's skin 6. Getting the proper tension on the collar requires considerable experience and many inexperienced trainers over tighten or under tighten the devices around the animal's neck. The problem with the electronic collars of the prior art is that 90% of the collar tensioning load is concentrated on the tiny electrodes 4, which jab into the animal's neck. This causes animal discomfort, and over time, the electrodes can harm the animal by causing sores. If the collars are worn loosely, sufficient electrode-skin contact can be lost when the animal runs or shakes itself, especially when the animal becomes wet.
So called ‘no-bark collars’ of the prior art are similar to the electronic collars described above, and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except, in place of the receiver/transmitter combination, no-bark collars have a bark sensor generally located on inside surface 5. The bark sensor is similar to the one or more electrodes 4 and is designed to contact the animal's neck and detect vibrations associated with barking. When such vibrations are detected, an electric stimulus is transmitted to the animal through the one or more electrodes 4 to deter the barking behaviour.
No-bark collars and other similar collars used in various animal containment systems or animal training systems, suffer from the same disadvantages described above.
It would therefore be advantageous if an electronic collar device was developed that could permit sufficient electrode-skin contact to allow the device be effective, and yet provide comfort to the animal and prevent damage and sores.